T-Mobile’s HSPA+ Network Expands to Nearly 50 Markets

Call it what you want, 3G, 3G+, or 4G. Right now it doesn’t matter to T-Mobile. Slap whatever name on it you want, they’re more concerned with building it out. And they aren’t taking their time. The HSPA+ network has now expanded to nearly fifty markets, reaching about 85 million users. Not content to let up on the gas, T-Mobile plans to hit 100 metropolitan areas by the end of this year. The carrier claims they have the “most pervasive network to offer 4G speeds” and we can’t argue the point. T-Mobile already offers a dozen smartphones in their lineup which can take advantage of the fast network and things are going to pick up fast.

In addition, 16 of T-Mobile’s current 3G devices, including more than a dozen smartphones, can benefit from enhanced speeds when they’re on the super-fast HSPA+ network in all of these major metropolitan areas, including the newest smartphone available from T-Mobile-the Samsung Vibrant. And later this summer, T-Mobile will unveil its first HSPA+-capable smartphone. More details will be available in the coming weeks.

Go on, I’m listening.

*****PRESS RELEASE*****

T-Mobile® HSPA+ Network now delivers broadest reach of 4G speeds in U.S.

Customers also will benefit from speed boosts on 16 of T-Mobile’s available 3G devices and
expanded availability of mobile broadband products in nearly 50 markets

BELLEVUE, Wash.—July 21, 2010 Today, T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced the continued expansion of its super-fast mobile broadband network to more than 85 million Americans—the most pervasive network to offer 4G speeds1 in the country. T-Mobile® is on track to deliver HSPA+ speeds in 100 major metropolitan areas with backhaul in place, covering 185 million people in the U.S. by the end of this year.

Now HSPA+ network service is available in nearly 50 major metropolitan areas across the country, with the newest additions including Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Waco, Texas; Baltimore, Md.; Baton Rouge and Lafayette, La.; Birmingham, Ala.; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; Honolulu, Hawaii; Indianapolis, Ind.; Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; and Wichita, Kan. In addition, T-Mobile has expanded coverage in cities in previously announced metropolitan areas including Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. 4G speeds are now available for customers in Alexandria, McLean and Reston, Va.; Anaheim, Burbank, Glendale, Irvine, Long Beach, and Ontario, CA; Annapolis, Bethesda and Chevy Chase, Md.; and Asheville and Hickory, N.C.

In addition, 16 of T-Mobile’s current 3G devices, including more than a dozen smartphones,2 can benefit from enhanced speeds when they’re on the super-fast HSPA+ network in all of these major metropolitan areas, including the newest smartphone available from T-Mobile—the Samsung Vibrant. And later this summer, T-Mobile will unveil its first HSPA+-capable smartphone. More details will be available in the coming weeks.

“T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network now offers 4G speeds to more people than any other wireless network in the country,” said Neville Ray, chief network officer for T-Mobile USA. “The aggressive pace of our HSPA+ network rollout means our customers can enjoy a better mobile broadband experience on more devices in more places today—but we’re not done yet. Our first HSPA+ smartphone is coming soon and our footprint will double between now and the end of the year.”

Complementing the network expansion is wider availability of the T-Mobile® webConnect® broadband products in T-Mobile retail stores in all HSPA+ areas including the webConnect Rocket™ USB Laptop Stick, the first HSPA+-capable device from a national U.S. wireless carrier and the Dell™ Inspiron™ Mini 10 with T-Mobile webConnect, T-Mobile’s first netbook.

Also beginning today, T-Mobile is introducing the webConnect Rocket 2.0 USB Laptop Stick, an updated form factor of its first HSPA+-capable device. Featuring a new rotating swivel USB form factor, the webConnect Rocket 2.0 is designed to deliver the same home broadband experience on the go as its predecessor, so customers can surf the Web, download large files or watch video from a laptop anytime on-the-go with a blazing-fast connection. The webConnect Rocket 2.0 enables customers to take full advantage of T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network in areas where the service is available—delivering 4G speeds.

About author

Scott has been running AndroidGuys since 2007 and loves nothing more than reading up on the latest smartphone rumors. His other mobile efforts can be found on Android Update (CNET) where he covers Google's mobile platform.

Rob

I have yet to see it in LA anywhere.

http://twitter.com/raww_talent @raww_talent

I'm guessing Detroit wont get love until near the end of the upgrades as it did for the 3g switch over. Le sigh. I am excited that they say the phone will be announced by the end of the summer.

greg

As of 430, Columbus did not have HSPA switched on.

er86

As far as I can tell, T-Mobile still does not have HSPA+ turned on in Columbus. One person has reportedly gotten the signal one place, but I have not despite being in an area that should be supported. T-Mobile support is non-existent…a week later the persons answering phone now know what HSPA+ means, but if it does not work they cannot do anything. 8-(

hazydave

Of course, they're lying through their teeth about supporting 4G speeds. It's also true that the WiMax people are too, but that doesn't change anything.

4G is not a specific technology, it's just a performance metric. Specifically, it's the IMT-Advanced spec, from the ITU (International Telecommunications Union). It requires an all-IP network with peak speeds in "high mobility" applications at 100Mb/s, and peak speeds in "low mobility" applications at 1Gb/s.

While Clear/Comcast/Sprint's WiMax can technically support 128Mb/s downlinks over 20MHz channels (and they have up to 90MHz of spectrum in their 2500MHz band, depending on the location), they currently throttle it to 12Mb/s or less… they say "4G" in all their ads, but they're nearly 1/10th of the performance of a true 4G network.

If Sprint's claim was the only definition of 4G, then yeah, T-Mobile's claim would be valid. AT&T throttles their HSPA networks to 3.6Mb/s down, and HSPA+ to 7.2Mb/s down. T-Mobile allows at least 14Mb/s downlinks on HSPA cells and 21Mb/s on HSPA+ cells.

Of course, setting higher download caps is no indication you'll actually get that level of performance. WiMax and LTE can offer better performance at range than HSPA+, so your chances of high speed on T-Mobile are probably less than on WiMax… but these things depend so much on cell tower local, it's hard to say. I guy I work with is getting only about 2.5Mb/s peaks though his Clear modem in Philadelphia…. not anywhere near a "4G" speed.

nobrainner

I want more phones with UMA. I live in rural area and have high speed internet in my home and use my T-mobile service as my outside world phone. I am good with blackberry but want a change in technology.